25. Prefessen Bernhandi
36 PRCFESSOR BERNHARDI: A PLAY
the members of the Advisory Board, etc., etc.,
have decided to resign from their honorary
positions. In communicating this decision to
you, Mr. President, I request that you notify
the Board of Directors and the Staff.
Signed: Counselor Winkler, Secretary.“
Ebenwald: I would ask our President if the
cause of this action is known to him?
Bernhardi: I shall answer the question of
the Vice-President in all brevity. Yes, I know
the cause; and it lies in the same incident of
which you have just now read with more or
less pleasure, in the form of a so-called indict¬
ment in the evening paper. As a certain par¬
ty misrepresents this case—
Filitz: Which party?
Pflugfelder: The anti-Semitic — clerical
party.
Bernhardi: I, as President of this institu¬
tion, desire to ask you how we should deal with
(Cyprian rises.) Profes¬
this resignation?
sor Cyprian has the floor.
Cyprian: We all know the cause, or rather
the pretext for this resignation. We all know
that Bernhardi fulfilled his duty as a physi¬
cian, when he refused admission to the priest.
We all know that we would have acted as he
d
Filitz: O-ho!
Schreimann: No!
Cyprian (continuing): There is only one
answer to this attack, and that is, to express
our implicit confidence in our President, Pro¬
fessor Bernhardi.
Pflugfelder: Bravo!
box 31/8
PROFESSOR BERNHARDI: A PLAY 37
(Ebenwald rises.)
Bernhardi: Vice-President Ebenwald has
the floor!
Ebenwald: Gentlemen! Do not be deceiv¬
ed. This resignation of the Committee would
mean disaster for our institution. I am sor¬
ry, but Professor Bernhardi alone should have
the responsibility of his action, of which we do
not approve. I move that we request the re¬
consideration of this resignation on that
ground.
(Enter Loewenstein, looking very pale.)
I come from
Loewenstein. Gentlemen!
Parliament. The indictment has been an¬
swered, and you, Bernhardi, will be prosecuted
for religious disturbance.
(Great commotion.)
Pflugfelder: Impossible! Tell us all about
it.
(Amidst the great excitement Bernhardi
stands unmoved.)
Loewenstein: What is there ta tell? It’s
a disgrace! (Looking at Ebenwald.) Yon
have succeeded. You'll read it in the papers
tomorrow morning.
(Great commotion. All are shouting.)
All in unison: Tell us! What happened?
Loewenstein: Well, at first, Flint took
Bernhardi’s part, and spoke of his great mer¬
its, and von felt sure that his accusers would
be completely routed. Then there were cries
„
of" Too much Jew.“ Somehow, the Minister
lost his theme; got angry, confused, and then,
to his own surprise, I am sure, he wound up
that the law should take its course. That that
36 PRCFESSOR BERNHARDI: A PLAY
the members of the Advisory Board, etc., etc.,
have decided to resign from their honorary
positions. In communicating this decision to
you, Mr. President, I request that you notify
the Board of Directors and the Staff.
Signed: Counselor Winkler, Secretary.“
Ebenwald: I would ask our President if the
cause of this action is known to him?
Bernhardi: I shall answer the question of
the Vice-President in all brevity. Yes, I know
the cause; and it lies in the same incident of
which you have just now read with more or
less pleasure, in the form of a so-called indict¬
ment in the evening paper. As a certain par¬
ty misrepresents this case—
Filitz: Which party?
Pflugfelder: The anti-Semitic — clerical
party.
Bernhardi: I, as President of this institu¬
tion, desire to ask you how we should deal with
(Cyprian rises.) Profes¬
this resignation?
sor Cyprian has the floor.
Cyprian: We all know the cause, or rather
the pretext for this resignation. We all know
that Bernhardi fulfilled his duty as a physi¬
cian, when he refused admission to the priest.
We all know that we would have acted as he
d
Filitz: O-ho!
Schreimann: No!
Cyprian (continuing): There is only one
answer to this attack, and that is, to express
our implicit confidence in our President, Pro¬
fessor Bernhardi.
Pflugfelder: Bravo!
box 31/8
PROFESSOR BERNHARDI: A PLAY 37
(Ebenwald rises.)
Bernhardi: Vice-President Ebenwald has
the floor!
Ebenwald: Gentlemen! Do not be deceiv¬
ed. This resignation of the Committee would
mean disaster for our institution. I am sor¬
ry, but Professor Bernhardi alone should have
the responsibility of his action, of which we do
not approve. I move that we request the re¬
consideration of this resignation on that
ground.
(Enter Loewenstein, looking very pale.)
I come from
Loewenstein. Gentlemen!
Parliament. The indictment has been an¬
swered, and you, Bernhardi, will be prosecuted
for religious disturbance.
(Great commotion.)
Pflugfelder: Impossible! Tell us all about
it.
(Amidst the great excitement Bernhardi
stands unmoved.)
Loewenstein: What is there ta tell? It’s
a disgrace! (Looking at Ebenwald.) Yon
have succeeded. You'll read it in the papers
tomorrow morning.
(Great commotion. All are shouting.)
All in unison: Tell us! What happened?
Loewenstein: Well, at first, Flint took
Bernhardi’s part, and spoke of his great mer¬
its, and von felt sure that his accusers would
be completely routed. Then there were cries
„
of" Too much Jew.“ Somehow, the Minister
lost his theme; got angry, confused, and then,
to his own surprise, I am sure, he wound up
that the law should take its course. That that